National Parks Traveler reports:

The National Park System could close this weekend if Congress can’t move past its budget impasse and fund the federal government.

While Congress appeared on track this week to adopt a bipartisan proposal to fund the government through March under what’s known as a Continuing Resolution, hard conservative members in the House of Representatives were balking against it, and then President-elect Donald Trump urged Congress to reject the agreement.

Along with forcing a government shutdown, rejection of the proposed budget package would block delivery of $2.3 billion to the National Park Service to help park units impacted by tornadoes, wildfires, and hurricanes.

“Communities across the country that rely on parks receiving the repairs they need from disasters continue to wait for relief,” John Garder, the National Parks Conservation Association’s senior director for budget and appropriations, told the Traveler in an email. “Park advocates and members of Congress on both sides of the aisle are urging that more than $2 billion in critical, overdue aid to the National Park Service get into a final package this week, and we’re joining in that chorus.

“Park visitors, the park resources that depend on congressional investments, and communities that rely on hundreds of millions of dollars in visitor spending deserve nothing less.”

National Park Service officials in Washington said Thursday afternoon that, in the event of a shutdown, visitor services in the parks would continue through Sunday. [Continue reading…]